I, the wizard, the foolish Buddha.

The hall inside the Holly Tower looks a bit like a courtroom—the Baron actually often hears various cases within his territory here.

Of course, besides trials, the lord also frequently holds meetings with his retainers here.

Although Valeria is very wealthy and its castle is larger than that of a typical earl's castle, there are simply too many listeners today, so this courtroom will have to do.

The hall was packed with people, the audience seats filled with wizards from various schools, most of whom had gray hair and beards and looked quite old. A few younger middle-aged men and women also looked very dignified.

Judging from the clothing, these wizard robes are very simple, but the cuffs or collars are embroidered with the sun, moon or stars.

Roland didn't know the identities of the old wizards sitting in the audience, who were noisily discussing things, but Joan and Helena, ever since they sat down with him in the 'defendant's seat' in the center of the hall, had been sweating profusely and sitting there with their heads down, not saying a word.

Two people who looked like housekeepers came over and spoke to Joan and Helena separately. It sounded like their parents were both present.

Roland didn't understand why such a small interview had caused such a big fuss, but judging from the seating on the second floor, it seemed that some people from the Papacy and the Royal Court had also come.

He didn't know who had come, because the second floor was hidden by a gauze curtain. However, outside the curtain stood holy knights, high priests, and court wizards from the Papacy. Just moments before, an old man wearing a little red hat and a red robe had been respectfully speaking to the people inside from outside the curtain.

At that moment, a priestess with a very holy and solemn face walked out from behind the gauze curtain. As she lifted the curtain, Roland saw that there seemed to be quite a few people sitting inside.

Those people seemed to be drinking tea and chatting, their faces beaming with smiles as if they were about to be free. Among them, an old man wearing a white cap, who was closer to the center, winked at Roland mischievously after noticing his gaze.

The visitors to Valeria over the past two days have consisted of just over three hundred knights and a few carriages. Half of them are elves. But the number of people in the hall probably exceeds three hundred, and they don't look like they came with that caravan at all.

They seemed to have suddenly flown down from the sky at midday—and indeed they could have come from the sky, because there was a huge, transparent object faintly visible in the clouds outside the window.

The holy-faced priestess, carrying a book and a crystal ball, came to the high seat where the lord sat—or rather, to the seat of the 'judge'.

She handed the crystal ball to the elven knight standing next to her seat, and then whispered a few words to the 'judge'.

“Alright, Florence, I understand. You just stand here and listen and relay the message—tell them not to rush you.” The 'judge' sighed to the priestess, then handed the document she was looking at to the elven knight, and scrutinized Roland in the 'defendant's' seat directly in front of her with a very subtle look.

Roland forced a stiff smile.

The "Presiding Judge" was the same lady from the central garden, and their first impressions of each other were not very good.

Roland had just overheard Florence's conversation with this young lady, in which he learned that Florence did not address her as Alexandra, but rather as Catherine.

Catherine. That's the name of the senior student in Roland's dream. Not only is the name the same, but they also look exactly alike. It's as if she stepped right out of a dream.

The way the young woman looked at Roland with a scrutinizing and somewhat disdainful gaze gave Roland a strange feeling—that she, like him, had also had a similar dream.

Roland could sense that she seemed to have some difficulty accepting him. Roland also had some difficulty accepting her.

The senior in my dream was incredibly gentle and kind; she possessed a maternal glow and was completely devoted to me. But this Miss Catherine, on the other hand, seemed like the kind of person who was cunning, arrogant, and very opinionated.

Roland even suspected that if he really became her apprentice, she might force him to sign a slave contract.

The interviews began quickly. Miss Catherine asked many professional questions, and the wizards in the audience also asked Florence many questions. These questions were very demanding, even a bit nitpicky. But Roland and his companions breathed a sigh of relief.

The entire process was designed specifically to find an apprentice for King Leonard. And at the end, when Joan inquired about the future mentor, Miss Catherine gave an affirmative answer—she was accepting apprentices on behalf of His Majesty.

No wonder there are so many listeners today. In His Majesty's more than a thousand years of life, the number of people he has truly accepted as formal disciples is very small. The few who are still alive today are the most important elders of the Senate.

Becoming his disciple is tantamount to having one foot in the Senate.

Moreover, he accepted three people today, so the formal interviews would naturally be as rigorous as selecting elders to enter the Senate. If Miss Catherine hadn't asked Roland about his 'knowledge of wine' and 'knowledge of agriculture' at the end, the interviews would indeed have ended in a very formal manner.

“Yes, Miss Joan,” Catherine said. “I don’t know where the rumor about building an academy came from. Although I am considering moving my residence here, I do not intend to build any academy here. However, I will consider opening an academy nearby.”

After a pause, Catherine looked at Roland: "So, Mr. Roland, now that Helena and Joan have finished asking their questions, do you have any questions?"

“I have no problem, Your Highness,” Roland said, wanting to end things as quickly as possible.

“I have a question.” Catherine looked intently at Roland: “Mr. Roland, I heard that four years ago, when His Majesty traveled to Valeria, you made a bet with him?”

Upon hearing this, the noisy hall gradually fell silent, and both Joan and Helena looked at Roland with very interesting expressions.

"Ahem." Roland's expression was somewhat unnatural. "Yes, Your Highness Catherine. I won the bet."

“His Majesty has asked me to ask you one more time,” Catherine said earnestly. “Are you truly not interested in the throne at all?”

A slightly annoyed cough came from behind the gauze curtains on the second floor, sounding particularly jarring in the silent hall. Clearly, someone hadn't allowed Catherine to ask the question again today; rather, she had taken it upon herself.

Under the intense gazes of the crowd, Roland hesitated for a moment before replying, "To be precise, I have already renounced my right to succession. Although His Majesty seems not to have followed my request for this procedure, Miss Florence, Baron Victor, Elder Johnson, and other esteemed officials were all present at the time. They can testify to this."

And no matter how many times I am asked, my answer will be the same—I, Roland Alaye, the last heir to the Alaye royal family, declare that I have renounced my right to the throne, and the Alaye dynasty has come to a complete end.

“The Alaye dynasty will not end, and your demands will not be met,” Catherine declared in her final pronouncement. “But another of your wishes can be granted—you will not have to inherit the throne, and you can run your winery here.”

“I don’t quite understand, Your Highness Catherine,” Roland asked, quite surprised. “Since I cannot relinquish my right to the throne, then who will inherit it on my behalf?”

“Naturally, it will be your wife or your future child.” Catherine’s tone revealed a sense of weariness, as if she felt that the possibility of Roland’s future wife inheriting the throne was very slim, so only Roland’s child could inherit it.

But this is fine too; she can accept it.

"My wife?" Roland was even more confused. He asked, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, I don't have a wife yet, not even a fiancée."

Furthermore, even if I were to marry in the future, legally speaking, she wouldn't have the right to inherit the throne, would she?

“Your future wife will naturally have the right to inherit the throne, and it will be perfectly legitimate,” Catherine said, emphasizing each word. “As for your fiancée, you will have one, Your Highness, and just as you requested in the bet, she will help you gather all the princesses.”

After saying this, Princess Catherine left. Some of the listeners followed her amidst their chatter, while others remained where they were, chatting happily.

Joan and Helena replayed the conversation between Roland and Catherine in their minds, their expressions gradually becoming more and more interesting. Joan grabbed Roland's arm and pressed him about the bet. Meanwhile, Helena hurriedly caught up with Catherine, wanting to ask her for details.

Helena was like a nervous kitten at this moment, because this girl who originally didn't care about the story of the 'Seven Suns' was now thinking about that bet all over her mind.

She knew that her cousin's next answer would mean that she would inexplicably have a fiancé. Well, not inexplicably, her parents had said that unless she became His Majesty's disciple, she would be married off to the prince of Alaye.

She came here to escape an arranged marriage, but now she's wandering around and might have come back again!
Although Roland inexplicably aroused Helena's curiosity and made her heart flutter, this was all too sudden!

Helena had so many questions she wanted to ask, but she was a very tactful person, so her questions were also very subtle.

"Cousin, are you really going to stay here permanently? What exactly are you here to do?"

“Take back what is rightfully mine. As for what to do next…” Catherine sighed, “I don’t know why, but lately I’ve felt that the Empire’s politics aren’t as interesting anymore; they’re just inexplicably annoying. It’s quiet here, and it’s also suitable for growing potions—a good place to recuperate. The portal will be built soon; if I want to go to the palace or the academy to do something, it’ll only be a few steps away.”

After a pause, Catherine looked at the anxious wizards around her: "Don't worry, I will take Roland to report to the Holy See every day. Your project will get the speed it deserves."

The wizards breathed a sigh of relief and their faces crinkled with laughter.

"Wait a minute, Sister Catherine," Helena asked, her face blank, "You're not really planning to run a winery here, are you?"

"Don't you like it?" Catherine asked.

Helena reflected on the projects and experiments at the academy and felt inexplicably exhausted. Before entering the academy, she had thought she would dedicate herself to her favorite career, but after two years of working her way up from apprentice to her current position, she realized that what she was doing was not what she loved.

She wanted a change of scenery and even considered getting married for a quiet vacation.

“There’s a college near Valeria,” Catherine said. “You can teach children.”

Helena's eyes slowly brightened.

“The Brown Fern Forest is a perfect potion garden, and Joan, who will eventually connect it to the End of the World, really likes it here.” Catherine looked out the window at the view: “The forests here are also beautiful, Anna likes them very much.”

“Olivia said she likes that lake to the south, the one where giants live.” Brianna chimed in from the side, “You all have a lot of demands. I just want to retire and take a vacation as soon as possible. I’ve wanted to retire for a hundred years. As long as I can live in peaceful times, occasionally have a good drink, and travel around, I’ll be content.”

Brianna couldn't help but recall the blueprint Roland had drawn for her when she was drunk.

"What are you talking about?" Helena blinked, not understanding.

“Let’s focus on our studies first,” Catherine said. “The kingdoms surrounding Valeria have not yet been illuminated by the truth, and this has been the main task of the seven new disciples of the Thousand-Eyed King in recent years. We can talk about other things after everyone has gotten along well and regained their memories.”

After shooing away Helena, who was looking at her with a puzzled expression, Catherine went to the top of the castle alone and stood by the deserted parapet, enjoying the breeze.

This was the first time she had ever seen such scenery. Looking eastward for more than ten kilometers, she saw a mysterious and fantastical yellow-brown fern forest—a paradise for adventurers.

Looking west, one sees endless mountain ranges, rivers, and lakes.

"It is indeed a nice place." A magnetic voice, both familiar and unfamiliar, came from beside me: "What's the name of that church that appeared in the southeast corner of town today? Is it the 'Hall of Sanctuary'?"

“Mr. Roland,” Catherine said without turning her head, “we don’t seem to know each other that well yet.”

“Yes. Miss Olivia warned me that the wedding must be held tomorrow—right in the Church of Sanctuary.” Roland sighed. “She’s just as impatient as she was four years ago. Her personality is so unpredictable. One minute she’s acting like an older sister who’ll do whatever I want, the next she’s talking to me about our future daughter with righteous indignation, and then she’s acting crazy and insists on marrying me.”

Catherine's eyes widened, her heart leaping into her throat: "What did Mario and my father say? That madman has to listen to them, right? Isn't Florence going to try and talk him out?"

“Miss Florence seems a little shy about this matter, so she hasn’t expressed her opinion. But the mentor and Pope Mario are more eager than Miss Olivia,” Roland said. “Especially that old man Victor, he said he’s been waiting for this day since his past life, and now he’s been busy for more than twenty years, just so that we can get married and have kids tomorrow.”

Upon hearing that she was getting married the next day, Catherine nearly fainted. If she hadn't instinctively grabbed Roland's arm and been held in his arms, she would have fallen off the parapet.

Looking at the young lady in his arms, whose face was as red as an apple and who seemed completely at a loss, Roland couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He never expected that this aloof lady would show such an adorable expression, and couldn't help but laugh, "Don't worry, of course I refused. Olivia listens to them, and they all listen to me."

After a pause, Roland added, "Getting married tomorrow is too rushed. There needs to be some time to adjust, doesn't there?"

“Fortunately, you are at least a gentleman with a higher education.” Catherine pushed Roland away. “I thought you were exactly like that rogue in my dreams—so, the bet was just a rumor? You did win against my father and Olivia, but you didn’t make those rude and absurd demands?”

“In fact, Miss Catherine, it’s no longer a rumor. I’m quite satisfied with Mentor Leonard, the one who started this rumor.” Roland’s tone suddenly became very serious, and he looked earnestly into Catherine’s eyes: “To be honest, the first time I saw you, I wanted to sleep with you—you are so charming. I can’t help but fantasize about our married life.”

Catherine stared in disbelief, shocked by Roland's blunt and rude words.

“Mr. Roland.” Catherine, who had been leaning against the parapet, straightened up and warned in a stern and slightly murderous tone, “You grew up in the countryside and don’t know manners. Starting this afternoon, I will take my father’s place and properly teach you how to respect your teachers and how to be a proper apprentice of a Black Abyss Wizard.”

Catherine changed her mind. She had initially felt it was beneath her dignity to use such despicable means to trick a country bumpkin into signing a slave contract. But now she thought this was the proper way to deal with such a person.

She decided to make a bet with the kid.

“Miss Catherine, Mentor Leonard said that we will definitely regain our memories within two years at the latest. At that time, even if everyone tries to stop us, we will be eager to have a grand wedding.” Roland asked curiously, “Are you really that eager?”

Catherine responded with a cold laugh. The only thing she couldn't wait for was to teach Roland a lesson in front of Joan and the others during her class after her father left.

Anna, who had been secretly observing the two from a distance with her longsword in her arms, was also gritting her teeth. She was getting increasingly annoyed with this kid. She had already scouted out the entire castle and was just waiting for the elders to leave so she could pick a night to cause trouble for him.

Inside the Holly Tower, the wizards in the Lord's Council Hall (Courtroom) have gradually disappeared in beams of light, but they will come back frequently in the coming days. It's been a long time since we've all seen each other; we need to have a feast and reminisce about the past.

Inside the gauze curtains on the second floor, Father Leonard, Victor, Mario, Johnson, and others looked down at the crowd leaving amidst laughter, feeling deeply moved.

“The wedding was their last wish, and now they’ve finally come together. My mission is finally complete,” Victor sighed. “This time, Julie and I can finally truly travel the world.”

“I’m a little worried about these kids,” Mario said. “Will they get along before they regain their memories in two years? Leonard, do we really not want to awaken their memories earlier?”

“Give them a real vacation, my old friend,” said Father Leonard. “Forget the old married life and relive the passion, the bickering, the arguments. I’m so envious of these kids.”

Mario, I think what we should be worried about now is preventing any more cases of unplanned pregnancies. I'm sure Teresa and the others will keep a close eye on these little ones.

"Two and a half years," the White Queen said with her eyes closed. "The Dawn of Light sees in the Fate Thread that Diana's daughter will be born in two and a half years. Everyone will have one child, and she will be the youngest."

"What do you mean?" Leonard suddenly became a little nervous. "I don't only have seven grandchildren, do I?"

"It is indeed a pity that such an excellent bloodline only has seven children," the White Queen sighed. "But it's not that they can't have more children, but that Roland is unwilling to raise any more. So you need to talk to Roland."

According to the prophecy of the Dawn of Light, after the birth of his youngest daughter, Roland was unwilling to have any more children. He felt this child was even worse than himself and feared that similar things would happen with his later children.

Father Leonard closed his eyes in great confusion and began communicating with the Light of Dawn. After a moment, his expression gradually became quite interesting.

The child was conceived by Roland and his seven wives after a wild and wild night of revelry; the seven mothers conceived and gave birth to the same child together.
This child inherited everything from his father and seven mothers, the madness of Roland and Heracles, and everything about himself, the Thousand-Eyed King, from Kaiser.

Thanks to her other wives, otherwise she would have been a monster without any human form, a deity even more terrifying than the Third Holy Mother.

To quell his daughter's rebellious nature, Roland sent her to another world and found her a good senior brother whose fate was mutually restraining—Roland couldn't find anyone who could unilaterally suppress her, so he found someone who could mutually restrain her.

This senior brother has no divinity whatsoever; he is just an ordinary mortal, or rather, a transmigrator chosen by Roland from various planes.

Although he was not a god, Roland used the name of 'Foolish Buddha' to impart all that he had learned to him.

(The Finale) (End of Chapter)